According to MyNewsGH report, Former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Ayikoi Otoo, has expressed serious concerns over the spread of misinformation surrounding the ongoing process that could potentially lead to the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme, Otoo questioned the accuracy and credibility of certain reports circulating in the media regarding the matter.
Otoo referred to past instances where false information had been widely disseminated, citing a particular case involving Zanetor Rawlings. He noted, “I’m not surprised because were we not in this country when we heard that Zanetor Rawlings had been given a post, only for us to realize that nothing of that existed?” Otoo pointed out that even official-looking documents, such as those bearing the letterhead of the Office of the President, turned out to be false, raising doubts about the veracity of reports surrounding the Chief Justice’s petition.
His comments come amid growing public interest and heated debate about the petitions filed against Chief Justice Torkornoo, though the specifics of these petitions remain undisclosed. The lack of clear information, combined with conflicting reports, has fueled widespread speculation and raised concerns over the dissemination of misinformation.
In addition to Otoo’s remarks, private legal practitioner Kwame Adofo has voiced his concerns about Ghana’s constitutional framework regarding the removal of a Chief Justice. During a discussion on The Forum on Asaase Radio, Adofo criticized the current system, which he believes leaves the head of the judiciary vulnerable to political influence. He highlighted the inconsistency in how the Constitution treats the removal of other Superior Court judges versus that of the Chief Justice.
Adofo argued, “The question of making a prima facie case is not left to a politician or an ordinary person; it is left to a judge, who happens to be the Chief Justice. But when it comes to the Chief Justice, that determination rests in the hands of the President, and that is dangerous.”